pic: Hexapod Crawler

[Alex.Norton]

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[JesseK]

I have a question about each Wheel module -- i.e. the wheel, black mount, and any associated gearing or motors that rest specifically on the black mount. Is the wheel module designed to remain vertical on all terrain or adjust to it?

[whytheheckme]

This is cool!

Wondering about the scale... Could you perhaps put some type of identifiable object next to it (i.e. meter stick, an iMac, or Billfred?)

Jacob

[pacoliketaco]

wow. that is some nice CAD work. this thing looks great! i see a ton of banebots gearboxes. im guessing you really like them.

[=Martin=Taylor=]

Wow this is incredible.

I don't see why you need to decide between a high or low base. Isn't the entire point of the legs so that the base (or the wheels) can be lifted over obstacles?

I'd love to see this built, but I'd like to recommend that you do it on a FAR smaller scale. This could very easily become a $20,000, four-year project. A pretty hefty burden if you aren't working as part of a team…

A really cool prototype would be to attach wheels to the legs of a lynxmotion Hexapod.

This would provide you with a sturdy mechanical base and a "brain" to boot.

[vivek16]

I would make it smaller too, although as is it is still an awesome project. It would get expensive as Martin said. It would be fun to do with servos.

-Vivek

[Alex.Norton]

Believe me, I hear you when you say I should make it smaller. I would want to prototype this using some sort of modular servo system like the bioloid before I ever started making the actual parts. However, given that I'm currently and plan of continuing to be a poor college student for the foreseeable future I don't either thing will happen with any type of urgency.

Its not really that I'm really excited about the banebots, its more that I had a CAD for them, they aren't completely junk, and at least in theory they would work. The only place that I would be sure to use them is in the wheels because the does require a planetary for compactness and banebots aren't too difficult to rip apart. If I were intending to build this in the near future I would probably try to find a better suited motor which would have a longer lifetime.

In reference to the size questions. You can vaguely estimate the size based on those being the 36mm BB gearboxes, but for a more precise idea, with the legs in that position it is 5' across and 18" tall. The body is about 3" off the floor and the wheels are four inches in diameter.

When it comes to the position of the wheels, the original idea was for the module to remain vertical pretty much always. However, there are no constraints to make this a law, it should have the structure to remain at almost and angle as long as it is the wheel that is indeed touching the ground and supporting the weight.

Alex

[Tetraman]

Major kudos.

The body would probably work much better how it is shown than to flip it.

[=Martin=Taylor=]

Have you considered that the BaneBots motors are back-drivable?

The motors will need to be constantly running to support the 170 lbs.